Contentment, Catastrophe, and A Happy Medium
by Marie Hawkins
Summary: Follows storyline for A Little Less than Perfect, but can be read alone. MOAR fluffiness, set in modern times, kind of drabble-y, and of course Claude\Sebastian goodness.
1. Home Sweet Home

**A/N:**So here is the sequel of sorts to "A Little Less Than Perfect." The two can be read separately, of course (there will just be more squee factor if you read the first one, I think). For those of you who _did_ read ALLTP, this is set a few years after the end of that story (as in, Claude and Sebastian have both graduated and tied the knot... :D) and... yeah. I plan on making this pretty fluffy, 'cause I like fluff. Maybe another citrus? All up to you :) Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Oakbrook road was kind of in the center of things. It was located in a fairly large suburban area- with the stereotypical perfect lawns, cars, and poster couples. It was completely different from anything Claude had been used to. He'd lived in big cities most of his life, scraping by and living comfortably in an apartment. He and Sebastian, however, had decided to shake things up. As the years passed and their relationship had evolved, they frequently stepped out of their comfort zone. Sebastian wasn't entirely uncomfortable with the idea. In fact, Claude was sure he liked it. Sebastian's family had more money than Claude's and was used to this kind of lifestyle. It must have been odd for him to live in small apartments with Claude for so long.

Claude was excited for a change of scenery, but Oakbrook almost looked _too_ pretty. _Too_ perfect. It was definitely something he would have to get used to.

"You don't think this neighborhood is a little too… I dunno, ritzy?" Claude asked, as he stepped out of the car. Sebastian laughed.

"No," he replied, taking Claude's hand. "It's perfect, just look at it! You have to stop being a penny pincher. We're not in college anymore, and we both have great jobs. We can afford this. You just got promoted for heaven's sakes. Spoil yourself a little."

Together they walked up the driveway of a lovely home- one that they hoped to call their own. They hadn't been looking around the market for long, but had a sort of attachment to the place. It was a white Victorian house, with a blue door, and matching shutters. It was located in the suburbs of their new town- where Sebastian's job had taken them. The landscaping was beautiful, and the lawn was fenced, giving it the typical dream home look.

"You must be the Michaelises," said a cheery voice from the front porch. Claude recognized it as the voice of their realtor, a woman he'd only conversed with over the phone. A beaming, well- dressed woman came (practically skipping) toward them. Her blonde curly hair bounced as she moved, almost a metaphor for the woman's bubbly personality. "It's very nice to meet the both of you," she said, meeting them in the driveway. She shook both Claude and Sebastian's hands enthusiastically.

"The pleasure is ours, of course, Miss Banks," Sebastian smiled at her.

"Well, I must say, you two have exquisite taste in homes," she said, turning toward the house. "Of course, I am a _little_ biased, I helped design it," she laughed. She seemed genuine, Claude thought. But it was odd. Then again, he wasn't used to suburban lifestyle. From what it seemed like on TV and movies, everyone was overly welcoming to new neighbors. Especially realtors. "But even the location is fabulous. Most of these homes were just completed, and not all of them have owners yet, so you won't be the only new ones." She gestured for them to follow her inside the house. "The neighborhood celebrates a wide variety of diversity, as well, so the two of you will feel right at home," she continued bluntly, causing Sebastian and Claude to cast furtive glances at each other and try unsuccessfully to conceal their grins.

Claude quickly discovered that the inside of the house was just as splendid as the outside. Though it was new, it still had sort of an aged feel to it. It was somewhere Claude could see himself staying for a long while, and definitely feeling comfortable in. Hand in hand, he and Sebastian wandered through the house, while the peppy Miss Banks followed behind, ready to answer any questions or make comments.

"I like this room," Sebastian mused to Claude, as they entered a small room on the second floor. "I could see it being a comfortably cluttered room."

"Is that your way of saying you want this for your den?" Claude laughed. That was his only deal with Sebastian- he had to get a den. Sebastian's work clutter was one of the things that got on Claude's nerves. Sebastian left notes and papers strewn all over their small apartment, and frequently misplaced things in the mess- causing unnecessary stress on the both of them.

"It'll do," he sighed, satisfactorily. The two turned and wandered through the rest of the house. There were several rooms that would have to be creatively occupied until Claude and Sebastian were sure they knew what to do with them, but overall the house clicked.

"I know the two of you have already been approved for a loan," the realtor beamed. "And this place is ready when you are. So, what do you think?" She asked, after they'd explored every single space to be discovered in the home.

Claude and Sebastian glanced at each other. Claude was a little nervous, buying his first house, but if he was going to buy a house, this would be the house he wanted. He could tell just by looking at Sebastian that this was the place. He liked it, Sebastian liked it, the location was ideal, and it was something that they could afford. As nervous as he felt, he was slightly giddy with confidence.

"We'd like it," Claude said, causing the realtor's smile to widen. Her head bobbed up and down with approval.

"Excellent," she said. "I know you'll love it here. Now, I have the paperwork back at my office, but I have another showing down the street in half an hour. Can I meet up with you boys at around four to settle things?"

"Sounds fine," Sebastian nodded. "We're not in any rush." They parted ways with the cheery realtor- she drove down the street and they remained in their soon- to- be home. Sebastian wrapped his hand around Claude's waist as they stood basking in the glory of their large- and quite empty- living room. "How does it feel to be a homeowner?" He asked, grinning a little.

"Why, darling, it feels absolutely wonderful," Claude said overenthusiastically, slipping on a southern accent. "Never have I been happier!"

"I am glad to hear it," Sebastian replied, mimicking Claude's fake accent and enthusiasm. "It's about high time we had a castle of our own!" Claude laughed.

"And this neighborhood is diverse as well!" Claude said, imitating the realtor. Not that he wasn't glad to hear it; he just felt it odd that she had emphasized it so much. He'd had his share of ridicule- Sebastian too, but much less so- and they would have lived here regardless of who was their neighbor.

Claude's imitation caused Sebastian to laugh. "Well I'm glad we found something so easily," Sebastian sighed, taking on a slightly more serious tone. "I don't think we would have survived another month in that apartment."

"Probably not," Claude laughed. "Welcome to 314 Oakbrook Road," he smiled. "Home sweet home."


	2. A Four Letter Word

"Mom, let me help you with that," Claude said, reaching for the box that was perched precariously in his mother's arms. She let out a sharp 'tsk' and quickly pulled the box out of his reach as she headed off to the kitchen.

"Claude, I'm a 50 year old woman, not an invalid," she called as she walked away. "I'm just fine." Claude sighed, but turned back towards the moving van. Sebastian was grinning from ear to ear in the doorway.

"What are _you_ so smug about?" Claude asked as he approached, causing Sebastian's grin to widen.

"I thought _I_ was the one who was supposed to get crap from your mom," he laughed lightly. Claude sighed and rolled his eyes slightly. He understood where his mom was coming from, however. The slender, dark haired woman had been doing things on her own for Claude's whole life. She raised him singlehandedly (no one really knew where his dad had gone; he just… left), worked herself practically to death just to support the two of them, repaired her home on her own, and did all her own heavy lifting. Never once did she feel obliged to turn to someone else and ask them for help. It was a quality that Claude had always admired in his mother, but now that he was in a position to help her if she needed it, he wished she would accept the help he offered. "She'll be fine carrying a box of dishes to the kitchen," Sebastian laughed, assuring Claude. Claude knew he was right, but he liked to at least offer help.

"I see you're doing lots of heavy lifting yourself," Claude said sarcastically, pointing to the small box Sebastian had tucked under his arm. "Careful not to strain yourself, there," he laughed.

"Hey, this is delicate stuff!" Sebastian defended himself. "I don't want anything in this box to get broken!" Claude shook his head, and gave Sebastian a parting kiss on the cheek before retreating back to the moving van. He sighed and placed his hands on his hips as he surveyed the nearly empty back of the moving van. He was pleased; today had been fairly productive overall. Most of the junk that he and Sebastian owned had been successfully moved into the house, though finding places to put everything would be the real issue.

"Claude," his mom called from the porch. He turned to the sound of her voice. She was sitting on the front steps, two glasses of lemonade off to the side, patting the space beside her, and flashing a grin. "Come take a break with me!" Claude laughed, but walked to sit by his mother.

"You know, Sebastian will be pissed when he comes out here and sees that we aren't doing any work," Claude grinned as he sat beside his mother. She gently pushed him with her shoulder.

"Oh, poo," she snorted, handing him a glass of cold lemonade. "I'm sure it would bug him if he were actually doing most of the heavy lifting," she laughed. "Besides, he's too busy organizing his new den. We'll be lucky if we catch a glimpse of him in the next five hours."

"I suppose you have a valid point," Claude laughed. "So what's up?" he asked, as their conversation lulled. His mother's golden eyes studied his face, a small smile on her lips. She ruffled his hair back, reminding him of when he was a kid.

"How are you, son?" she asked, softly. "I feel like its ages since we've just sat and caught up." She laughed a little. Claude's mother was the only person in the world he knew he could open up to without hesitation, and he enjoyed that. True, they hadn't had much face to face communication in the past few years, but their relationship hadn't changed in the slightest.

"I-" Claude sighed, examining his feelings at the moment, trying to come up with the perfect word, but nothing came to mind. "I'm perfectly content. I'm happy." His mother's smile widened.

"You better be," she laughed. "You've moved so far away I can't kick ass if I need to." Claude smiled. His mother always stuck up for him. She encouraged him to be a better person, but never shied away from biting a bullet in his place.

"Well, there were jobs here," he reasoned. "For both Sebastian _and_ me."

"I know," his mom laughed. "I don't hold it against you. It's just strange, you know? My only child living a life of his own. But I'm proud of you. You know that?" Claude nodded. He had always known his mother was proud of him, but once and a while, hearing it never hurt. "So what's next?" she asked. Claude raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean, mom?" he asked, laughing a little. "I don't really have a plan for my life, if that's what you're hinting at. I've always been one to wing things."

"Wonder where you get that from," his mom laughed. "I just… I want you to set some goals for yourself, you know? There are dreams you've had for yourself since you were a kid, and I don't want you to just write those off."

"I'm living my dream, mom," Claude smiled. "Sure, I don't drive a Porsche yet, but for the most part, I'm there."

"I wouldn't hold my breath on that Porsche," his mom laughed. She paused to take a sip of her lemonade. "But what about kids? Are you and Sebastian thinking about that at all?"

Her abruptness caused Claude to choke on the large swig of lemonade he had just taken. He coughed for several moments, before he could even breathe.

"Ma!" he exclaimed the moment he caught his breath.

"What?" she asked, widening her eyes innocently. "You love kids! You've always wanted kids! That hasn't changed has it?"

"No," Claude said slowly, wiping the lemonade from his lips. "But I'm only twenty six! Sebastian is only twenty six!"

"Well I was twenty four when I had you," Claude's mom reasoned.

"Yeah, but," Claude sighed. "This isn't something I want to rush into," he explained. Kids were a four letter word around Sebastian. It wasn't that Sebastian was sure he didn't want any, he just didn't feel comfortable with the idea just yet. And it wasn't like Claude hadn't given it any thought. He knew he was capable of raising children, and Sebastian would be a great father (despite what he believed). "Sebastian just wants some time where it's only _us _in the relationship. He's not really comfortable with the whole 'kids' thing. But I still want them," Claude reassured his mother. "You'll have grandchildren, don't worry," he said, kissing her forehead.

"Well good," she sighed. "I'm too old to file for adoption," she laughed a little. "I probably shouldn't bring the subject up in front of Sebastian, then," she said, glancing over at Claude. He widened his eyes and shook his head. He'd had enough tussles with Sebastian about kids already, granted they were small ones and were settled quickly. Sebastian would feel like Claude was trying to force the idea on him if Claude's mom brought it up, though. That was drama that wasn't needed. Not now. Not when they were already going through a slightly stressful move. "I'm sorry for being so blunt about it, I just really-"

"-No, it's okay," Claude said, stopping his mom before she launched into one of her ridiculously long and unnecessary apologies. "It's a legitimate point. It's a topic Sebastian and I have to discuss and decide on sooner rather than later. But, just give it some time, eh?" he laughed a little, giving his mom a one-armed hug.

"You're really doing it," she sighed, smiling and changing the subject. "You're living the dream." She smiled and kissed the top of his head. "I couldn't have wanted anything different for my little boy." She stood and walked toward the moving van. "The forecast predicted rain in a few hours. We'll want to clear out the back of this thing before then, or else you'll be doing all the heavy lifting. I'm not going out if it's raining."

"I wouldn't let you, anyway," Claude laughed, standing and joining his mother in the back of the moving van. "I wouldn't want my darling mother to catch pneumonia or slip and break a hip." He grinned.

"I'll break yours if you don't shut up and get to work," she said, mock glaring at him over a box she had in her arms.

"Yes, ma'am," he laughed, and began to balance boxes in his arms.

* * *

**A\N:**Well... I guess I don't really have much to say... I hope you enjoyed it? Review? Also, I got a guest review in "A Little Less than Perfect" asking for tips... I would send you a PM, but I don't know who you are! D: Seriously don't be afraid to PM me! I'm open for questions, tips, friendships, etc. I love hearing from you guys!

In case I don't update again this week- have a good week!


	3. A Warm Welcome and A Cold Reality

"It's wonderful to see that we're not alone on this side of the street anymore," she smiled broadly. She tucked her blond hair behind her ear and continued. "When did say you moved in?" She asked.

"Only about a week ago," Claude smiled. "Are you sure you don't want to come in?" He asked, opening the front door a little wider. She shook her head.

"Oh, no, I don't want to intrude, I'm sure you're still very busy moving in and all. I just wanted to extend the invitation to you," she smiled.

"That's very kind of you," Claude assured her. "I would love to come, but, you know how it is. Gotta get permission from your other half," he laughed lightly. Speaking of his other half, Sebastian was certainly running late this evening. Claude hoped he wasn't getting himself into any sort of trouble, but the likelihood of that was pretty low.

"I completely understand," she grinned. "Alexis can be pretty protective sometimes. He means well, though, so I can't really complain. If you can make it, just come in," she said turning to leave. "It was nice to meet you, Claude!" she called, giving a small wave.

"Nice to meet you, too, Frances," Claude waved, before closing the front door. The cordiality of his new neighbors struck him to be odd, but he attributed that to the fact that, growing up, everyone in his neighborhood kept pretty much to themselves. Living here, he had to get used to just about everything.

He walked back to the kitchen. It was nice, having a full kitchen. It wasn't something he'd had since high school. He opened the fridge and surveyed its few contents, making a mental note to do some shopping later. If he and Sebastian were going to eat at the Midford's, they might as well bring something. Dessert, maybe. He grabbed some things from the fridge, and began searching for a bowl when he heard the front door open and close.

"Hey," he greeted as Sebastian shuffled into the kitchen and plopped down on a barstool. "Long day, huh?" Sebastian gave a tired laugh.

"That would be an understatement," he sighed. "Apparently the editor thinks I'm his bitch, so I'm doing all of this pointless crap."

"Coffee runs, huh?" Claude asked, with a small grin. "Don't worry about it. As soon as you find a piece to work on, he'll realize it would be stupid to not let you report. I mean, you're his assistant, so he knows you're _good_. You just have to get your bearings, that's all."

"I'm just jealous that you don't start until next week," Sebastian sighed. "What are you making?" he asked, eyeing Claude's small pile of clutter gathering on the bar.

"Well our neighbors, the Midfords, invited us over for dinner. Just them, us, and another family. A small welcome, I guess, and I figured we should bring something." Sebastian stood and rolled his sleeves up to his elbows.

"Well, we at least want to bring something that _tastes_ good, so you'd better let me help," he said, joining Claude at the bar.

"You think you're so funny, don't you?" Claude asked, giving Sebastian a sarcastic glare.

"I think I'm adorable," Sebastian smiled, giving Claude a small kiss. He and Sebastian worked, mostly in silence, quickly putting together something they could be proud of. Sebastian put the cake in the oven, while Claude was working on the icing.

"Hey, taste this," Claude said, as Sebastian turned back to the bar. He held icing out on his finger, with rather mischievous intentions. Sebastian leaned in to lick the icing, but Claude moved quickly and smeared it down the bridge of his nose. "Oh, oops," he laughed. "Clumsy me."

"No big deal," Sebastian shrugged, scooping his own fingerful of frosting and returning the favor. "You little snot," he laughed.

"What can I say?" Claude smiled, wrapping his arms around Sebastian's waist. "I missed you. You left me to unpack everything all by myself. It gets pretty lonely." Sebastian laughed, kissing Claude gently.

"Well, I knew that if I'd been home, we wouldn't have gotten much done," he smiled against Claude's lips. "That's already a proven fact." He stepped back, still grinning. "I've gotta go get changed, if we're going to eat dinner at someone else's house. Don't you dare let that burn," he said, motioning towards the oven. Claude rolled his eyes and waved him away.

* * *

"We're so glad you could make it!" Frances said, as she ushered Claude and Sebastian inside. "We're just really excited to have neighbors, I guess."

"Uh, we brought something for you," Claude smiled awkwardly, offering the fruit of his and Sebastian's labors. "Thought we could contribute to the meal."

"You made this?" she asked, in awe as she accepted the cake.

"Well, Sebastian and I did, yeah," Claude laughed.

"Oh my God," Frances smiled. "Neither of you went to culinary school?"

"No ma'am," Sebastian grinned. "Just got bored in college." Frances laughed lightly and led the two of them to the kitchen. She set down the cake on a counter, getting the attention of a tall, well groomed blond man.

"Alexis, these are our new neighbors," Frances said, going to stand by her husband. "Claude and Sebastian." Alexis Midford offered his hand. Claude took it, and received a firm handshake and a warm smile.

"I'm sure Frances has told you, but it sure is nice to have other people on the street. We've been the first ones here for a while. Almost thought no one would move in," he laughed deeply. "What brought you to Oakbrook Road?" he asked.

"Ah, change of scenery," Sebastian sighed. "And it was closer to work for me. Luckily, Claude got promoted and found a good job here, too."

"What do you do, sweetie?" Frances asked, addressing Claude, her eyes sparkling.

"Oh, I'm an art director at the new gallery in town," Claude smiled. "I was recommended by my last boss."

"Wonderful!" Frances smiled. "I was really excited to hear about the new gallery. It will be somewhere to take the kids once and a while."

A knock at the door interrupted any further exchange of conversation. The four adults walked together into the foyer, and Alexis pulled the front door open.

A tall, chestnut skinned man greeted them, his smile was warm and his eyes were kind. He had a small boy clenching tightly to his hand, looking up at the adults with wide golden eyes.

"Thank you for inviting us," the man said, with a slight accent.

"It was our pleasure," Alexis smiled, welcoming the two newcomers inside. "We're glad you could make it."

The tall, silver haired man offered his hand to Claude.

"Agni Kadar," he smiled, shaking Claude's hand. "You're new here, too?"

"Yeah," Claude said, "Just moved in last week. This is Sebastian, by the way," he said, stepping aside and giving Sebastian a chance to introduce himself. Claude noted that the young boy had released Agni's hand and was holding tightly to the side seam of his pants. Claude knelt down to eye level with the boy.

"What's your name?" he asked softly, offering his hand. The small boy looked at him, studying his face for several moments. He didn't seem distrustful, merely cautious. At length, he let go of Agni's pants, and took Claude's hand, giving it a small shake.

"I'm Soma," he said, softly. Claude grinned. The boy couldn't have been more than two or three, but he seemed to be pretty brave.

"Is he yours?" Claude asked, standing. Agni smiled proudly.

"Yeah," he said.

"Edward!" Frances called up the stairs. "Come down, sweetie, it's time to eat!" There was a brief pause before a small pair of feet could be heard thundering down the stairs. A young blond boy joined his mother and father, grinning shyly at the guests. The youthful smiles from Soma and Edward tugged at Claude's heart a little bit, his mother's words from a week earlier weighing on his mind. Agni seemed to be younger than he was, and _he_ had already started a family. It's not like he was jumping the gun by thinking about it. He didn't mind waiting for Sebastian to be ready, but he wasn't sure just how much longer he _could _wait.

The three- incredibly different- families sat together on the Midford's back patio and ate, chatter constantly filling the air. The Midfords were the first family to move into the new neighborhood. They wanted to get out of a huge city and raise their family somewhere a bit more relaxed. Alexis was the CEO of a small, but growing computer company. Frances quit her job to stay home with Edward, though she would probably pick it up again once her children were in school- they were expecting a second child, a girl, in about six months. Alexis and Frances had been happily married for five years.

Agni was recently separated from his wife, Meena. He didn't go into great detail, just said things had changed between them once Soma was born. One day, he woke up and Meena was gone. A week later, he got divorce papers in the mail- which he signed happily. He said Meena didn't even attempt to get custody of Soma. Being a single dad was hard for him, but he didn't mind. The bond he shared with Soma was strong, and it had always been that way. Agni had moved here to accept a job offer- he was a literature professor at the college, a job which he enjoyed immensely.

Claude and Sebastian briefly shared their story- best friends since middle school, together since Sophomore year at college. They hadn't really met much opposition. Claude's mother was more than welcoming of Sebastian as an addition to the family. Sebastian's parents had been wary of the idea at first, keeping their distance for a while, but gradually warmed up to the idea and were on good terms with Claude and Sebastian. The two of them had recently graduated from college. Sebastian was- until recently- a freelance reporter. Now he worked for the city's newspaper as the editor's assistant. Claude worked as a curator at an art museum. When his old boss learned about Claude's move, he got Claude a job as the director of the new gallery-

"-Edward," Frances chided gently as Edward accidentally backed into Claude's chair. "You can't play over here, sweetie. You're play too rough for the grown ups. We just want to relax, okay?"

"Sorry, mom," Edward said.

"Make sure you apologize to Claude," She said. Edward turned and mumbled his apologies to Claude, who laughed lightly.

"Don't worry about it, kid," Claude smiled. "But you better hurry and hide, or I think Soma is going to find you. Those bushes over there look promising," he said, pointing to a line of bushes on the far side of the yard. Edward smiled and skipped off, following Claude's advice.

"You're a natural with him," Alexis smiled. "He's a good kid, just doesn't really warm up to others very easily." he asked, taking a small bite of cake. "Are you two planning on having children?"

"Yes-"

"-No," Sebastian responded at the same time as Claude. The two exchanged glances before Sebastian laughed nervously. "It's still up in the air. I'm sure we'll get around to it."

The rest of the evening was finished with an awkward tension between Claude and Sebastian, though somehow, things still managed to remain pleasant. Claude felt a fight coming on, though. Why was Sebastian so quick to shoot down a family? He knew it was something Claude wanted, and it wasn't as though Claude was pressuring him into it. Sebastian had _said_ that at some point he'd want one. So why lie about it, unless he'd been lying to Claude the whole time? Whether Sebastian wanted to discuss the matter, it was going to be discussed. This was something that was important to Claude, and he wasn't about to just let it go.

"We'll have to do this again sometime," Claude smiled as he and Sebastian headed out the door. "Maybe the next time neighbors move in, we can have a get together at our place."

"That would be wonderful," Frances smiled, rocking back and forth, a sleeping Edward slumped over her shoulder. "It really was lovely to meet the two of you,"

"Hope to see you around!" Alexis called as he shut the front door. Claude and Sebastian turned to walk home. The air between them was silent, but Sebastian didn't say anything to break the silence until they reached their front door.

"What?" he sighed, as he pushed the front door open, stepped inside, and flipped the light on. Claude slammed the door behind him.

"Oh nothing," he said curtly. "I just learned that one of my goals in life is _up in the air._"

"God," Sebastian sighed. "We're really going to fight about this again, aren't we?" He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You bet your ass we are!" Claude yelled. "Sebastian, I understand a lot of your shit, but this is beyond me."

"What, the fact that I don't want to rush into things? The fact that I want some time for _us_? Claude, we have time for all of that family stuff later."

"No," Claude said, shaking his head. "You don't even want one," he folded his arms. "The question was if we _planned_ on it. Even if you didn't want to rush into things, your answer still should have been _yes._ Sebastian, this is something that is important to me-"

"I _know_ that, Claude. You think I don't!? It seems like this family stuff is all that's on your mind these days! Can't we just slow down a little?"

"Sebastian, we're both twenty-six. Before you know it, we'll blink and we'll be forty! There are things that I don't want to miss between now and then, and this is one of them! If you didn't want a family, you should have just been honest about it from the start!"

"You want me to be honest? Okay, fine. Claude, I don't think I want a family!" he exclaimed. His words were sharp, stinging Claude like a slap to the face. "It's been me and you for so long, I don't really want to change that."

"Oh, don't make this about me and you," Claude said, his voice shaking. "This isn't because you want us to have time to ourselves, I know it! Don't pull that bullshit! You're just being a selfish asshole! I feel like I've given up so much for this relationship, like I give and give and give. What are you going to give me, Sebastian?! Where's _your_ sacrifice, Sebastian? Because I haven't seen it so far!" An angry tear fell down his cheek, but he wiped it quickly away.

Sebastian glowered at him. "You think I haven't given anything up for you? You think _I'm_ being a selfish asshole? Claude, I turned my entire _life_ around for you! I let you drag me around from apartment to apartment, suffered alienation from my parents to be with you, got a shitty job because you couldn't find one…! That's not enough sacrifice for you?" Sebastian's voice got quieter the more he spoke, his anger becoming more and more visible on his face. Wordlessly, he turned back toward the front door, grabbing his keys from a hook by the door and sliding on a jacket. "I'm going for a drive to clear my head," he said, his voice still dangerously quiet. Claude scoffed.

"So you're just going to run away from the problem?" he asked, his voice finally back to a normal level. "You're going to come back, and we're going to pretend like this didn't happen and it's not an issue? That's your way to deal with this?" Claude felt himself losing his calm. His eyes were watering, and try as he might, he knew the tears were going to spill over. Some of what Sebastian had said was true. He _did_ sacrifice, just as much as Claude did. But there were days that Claude felt like the effort wasn't enough, like Claude was the only one trying to keep the relationship on a steady course of progression. And _nothing_ Sebastian sacrificed justified lying to Claude like that. Nothing.

"Don't wait up for me," Sebastian said, pulling the front door open.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Claude said, turning sharply on his heel and going to the bedroom.

He lay down on the bed, heard the front door close, and Sebastian's car pull out of the garage. The silence of the house pushed down on him, but he welcomed it. He considered calling his mom and asking for her advice, but thought twice. What could she possibly do? Tell him that everything was going to be alright? He and Sebastian fought, but not this badly. Sure, Claude had said some things he regretted already, but that didn't make any of it less true. Sebastian had lied. He lied about something so incredibly important to Claude. And now that Claude knew the truth, he wasn't exactly sure where that put their relationship. Sebastian didn't know, that was for sure. He sighed, and stared up at his ceiling.

It was so hard for Claude. He was now surrounded by _families._ Even Agni, who had just gotten divorced, had a family. He had someone to care for, some sort of legacy to leave behind, someone he shared a strong bond with. A son. He couldn't see why Sebastian didn't want that. Children wouldn't be a financial strain. They wouldn't get in the way of careers. Sure, they would be difficult to raise, but Sebastian had gotten into a relationship with Claude, knowing fully well how difficult _that_ would be. So how much harder would it be to raise children?

Claude glanced over at the clock. He'd been trying to sleep for hours. Honestly, he'd expected Sebastian to come home soon. It was around ten thirty when Sebastian left. It was two a.m. now. He sighed. If Sebastian came home trashed, there would be a whole new level of frustration to deal with. He debated on whether or not he should call. He didn't want to seem like he was groveling, like he had already forgiven Sebastian, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't worried. They were in a new place, and Sebastian didn't really know his way around very well, much less know which people he could trust and which ones he couldn't.

In response to his internal debate, the phone rang. Claude sighed, and turned on his bedside lamp. It was probably a drunk Sebastian, needing a ride home.

"Hello," he answered, trying to sound as tired as possible. A completely unfamiliar voice responded to him.

"Is this Claude Michaelis?" The voice asked.

"Yes," Claude said, sitting up sharply, a lump of panic rising in his throat. "May I ask who is calling?"

"This is Doctor Montagne at the Mercy Hospital here in town," said the voice. "I'm afraid I have some bad news. Your partner was in a pretty bad crash, if you can, you'll want to get down here."

"Oh my God," Claude gasped. "Is he alright? Sebastian's going to be okay, right?" Claude instantly felt incredible remorse and regret at his fight with Sebastian. There was a short pause on the other end.

"I don't know," Dr. Montagne sighed. "He's in a coma."

* * *

**A/N:**Ohohohoho. A cliff hanger ending! How could I be so cruel? This chapter was definitely longer than my usual ones, but it randomly popped into my head the other day, and leads nicely into the rest of the story. (I know, you're all thinking "Sebastian is in a freaking, COMA. How the HELL does that lead nicely into ANYTHING?" Well, patience, young grasshoppers. Trust in me!) Postulate theories on what is going to happen? Have ideas on plot twists? Hate me? Let me know! Muahahahahahaaaa :D Despite my horridness, you guys rock and I love you. So don't hate me too much. :3

Besides, I had to do something evil on fall break.

ALSO- Yes, I am adding more characters from Kuro here! I couldn't leave out Soma and Agni, they're too precious and I love them so much (but not Meena, she's a bitch...)! I haven't read very far in the manga, though, so the Midford family might be a little OOC... but that's what makes things funnnn! Also, I might throw in Lau and Ran-Mao? Or maybe bring back some old faves (like Will and Grell...?) I am more than open to suggestions, so feel free to let me know who you'd like to see, if you have a preference XD

Also, I know that I mentioned this in the end of ALLTP, but I have to do it here, too. Inspiration for this fic came from and, in a sense, is dedicated to the lovely Hashi-Hashi! :D


	4. Silent Lucidity

"Straight down the hall to your left," The nurse said, pointing with her pen. "Room 350."

"Thanks," Claude muttered, shuffling down the hallway as quickly as he could manage. The thought of Sebastian here, alone, dying… It wasn't really something that was comforting to him. Of course he couldn't help but think that all of this was his fault anyway. If he hadn't yelled at Sebastian, then he wouldn't have left, and he wouldn't have gotten into a car wreck… Claude's vision began to blur; he knew he looked like a mess, but frankly he didn't care. It did make it harder to read the room numbers, and by the time he had calmed down enough to see, he was in the 400s. He sighed and stopped walking, brushing his hair back with his fingers.

"Hey," a young nurse approached. "Are you alright?" She asked, gently grabbing his arm and giving a soft smile.

"Yeah, thanks," Claude laughed darkly. "I'm just lost. I'm looking for room 350."

"Oh, you've just barely passed it," she said, guiding him gently back down the hallway. "It's easy to miss, don't feel too bad." She stopped in front of a closed door and knocked. "Hey, Undertaker, your patient has got a visitor," She said pushing the door open.

A doctor with elegant silver hair pulled back into a ponytail looked up from a clipboard he was scribbling on intently. Despite a thin scar on his face, and his overly baggy scrubs, the man had an air of class and mystery about him.

"You must be Claude," the doctor smiled. "I'm Dr. Montagne, Sebastian's doctor." He offered his hand, which Claude took.

"Undertaker?" was all Claude could manage to choke out as he shook the man's hand.

"Oh," the doctor laughed, smiling broadly. "Just a nickname. Probably not the most reassuring nickname for a doctor, though," he laughed again, motioning for Claude to sit. "I earned that nickname because I used to work in a morgue doing autopsies. Not because I kill any of my patients."

"That's slightly more comforting," Claude laughed nervously. He glanced over at Sebastian. Immediately he wished he hadn't. His heart sank down to the bottom of his stomach. Sebastian was a mess. His hair was in shambles- still had dried blood caked into some of it. He had a black eye that was noticeably swollen, even with his eyes shut. He had fresh stitches leading diagonally from the right side of his forehead to the tip of his left eyebrow. His skin was inflamed and tinged with an angry red hue. His left arm was in a cast… Claude looked away. He was sure the damage to Sebastian's body was more extensive, he just didn't have the will to stomach it.

"He's fighting," Dr. Montagne said softly, placing a hand on Claude's shoulder. "He's improved a lot since we brought him here. Between you and me, I don't think he's going anywhere."

"Thanks, doctor," Claude said, though he didn't really feel much better. He only felt incredibly helpless. "Is there anything I can do?"

"I'm afraid not. His physical damage is extensive, but we won't know how much more we have to heal until he wakes up," Dr. Montagne said, biting his lip. "Claude, I know you don't want to hear this, but you may have to deal with the possibility of memory loss or slight behavioral changes."

"What do you mean?" Claude asked slowly. "Memory loss? How much loss?"

"Sebastian hit his head pretty hard. I'm not really sure what sort of effects that's going to have on his personality, or how much he will remember. I'm fairly confident that he's going to remember most things. At the least, he probably won't remember the few hours up until the crash."

"I understand," Claude nodded slowly. Honestly, he _hoped_ Claude wouldn't remember what happened before the crash. He knew _he_ didn't want to.

"If you need anything, just push the call button," Dr. Montagne said, walking toward the door. "I'll be at the front desk." He closed the door softly behind him. Claude stared at the ground in silence, not really wanting to look over at Sebastian again. At what _he _was responsible for. He was tired. He was aching- emotionally and physically. He wanted nothing more than to wake up and realize that all of this had been a horrible nightmare. He stood and turned the main light off, a soft glow leaking in the room from the slightly open curtains. He could make out Sebastian's silhouette, though his wounds were not as apparent. He reached out and touched Sebastian's hand. It was cold, unresponsive.

"Sebastian, I-" Claude began, clenching his jaw. He felt stupid talking to himself. But some part of him still believed that comatose Sebastian would be able to hear him. "I've been selfish. Really, I have. I shouldn't have been mad at you. Really, you're the only thing that's important to me. Losing you… I don't- I can't do it. You hear me? I _can't _lose you. I won't. God, I'm so _stupid,_" he sighed, bringing Sebastian's fingers to his lips. "Look what I've done to you."

He sighed and turned away, pulling his chair up to Sebastian's bedside, taking Sebastian's hand once more. He tried to stay awake, but his eyelids were too heavy to keep open. He tried to sleep, but was far too restless. He was miserable. He glanced the clock hanging on the wall. Four a.m.

He stood and stretched, trying to calm his nerves, to somehow erase his uneasiness, but nothing was working. He walked back over to where Sebastian lay and, very gently, laid down next to him. There was barely any room for the two of them on the small hospital bed, but Claude felt infinitely more comfortable than he had all evening. Just being there, next to Sebastian made him feel whole again. It gave him a new sense of hope. He gently squeezed Sebastian's hand.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, kissing Sebastian's shoulder.

* * *

The tranquility of the hospital room was broken several hours later when a tall, dark-haired couple entered the room. Claude stood to greet them.

"We got here as soon as we could," the man said, clapping his hand softly on his son-in-law's shoulder.

"How's Bassie doing?" Sebastian's mom asked, tucking her long hair behind her ear and walking over to Sebastian's bed.

"The doctor says he's not entirely sure," Claude said softly. "He said to expect some memory damage. There's no estimate on when he's going to wake up, either."

"How long have you been here?" she asked, setting her large leather purse on the bedside table.

"As soon as I found out what happened to him," Claude said, shrugging. Time had been a blur here. "I guess it's been about a week."

"Honey, you look awful," she said, running her hand against his cheek. "Go get some rest."

"Mom-"

"We'll be here for him," Sebastian's dad cut in gently. "If anything happens, we'll call you. You have to take care of yourself, too, you know."

"It's just, I want to be here when he wakes up," Claude said softly, his eyes dropping to the ground. He had never felt very comfortable expressing his feelings for Sebastian in front of his in-laws. He subconsciously felt like they were judging him. Like they felt he wasn't good enough for their little boy. Deep down, he secretly agreed with them. He didn't deserve Sebastian.

"Honey, I don't think he's going to wake up without you here," Sebastian's mom soothed, tucking her ebony curls behind her ear. "Go on."

"Get some good rest, and you can come back. We'll still be here," Sebastian's dad smiled. "He won't be alone."

"Alright," Claude sighed, reluctantly. As much as he protested, Sebastian's parents were right. He was exhausted, and hadn't been sleeping well for the past few days. He hadn't even been home since he got the call about Sebastian's accident. It would be good for him to take a break.

* * *

Silence wasn't really something he was accustomed to. His new house felt incredibly empty. Sad, even. He shuffled through the rooms, half hoping to see Sebastian somewhere. He walked to the bathroom, another thick wall of silence greeting him. He turned on the water, steam quickly filling up the room. When Claude stepped under the hot stream, his tiredness returned. It was soothing, somehow. He felt like he could actually sleep for once, instead of being anxious all the time. He was just tired. He wanted all of this to be over.

He collapsed onto his bed for the first time in a week, gently enveloped in a cocoon of sleep. He didn't dream- which was probably just as well. It was like his real life was a living nightmare, and he had a feeling his dreams wouldn't have been any better.

As the days dredged on, Dr. Montagne assured Claude that Sebastian was improving. It certainly looked that way externally. The cuts and bruises on Sebastian's face were healing. But there was no sign that he was going to wake up any time soon. Claude didn't want to admit it, but honestly, he was losing hope. He was becoming more and more fatalistic by the day.

Sebastian's parents insisted on staying with him in the hospital for at least a week, which was generous, considering Mr. Michaelis' work was very demanding. Claude wasn't entirely sure what he did, he just knew it took up a lot of time.

"You'll call us the instant he wakes up, okay?" Mrs. Michaelis asked, with a slightly demanding undertone.

"Of course," Claude nodded. "I'm sure Sebastian will want to talk to you." Sebastian's mom sighed. She kissed Claude's forehead, giving him a sad smile before she turned to leave.

"You take care of yourself, okay?" Sebastian's dad said, turning to follow his wife. "Sebastian's got plenty of people to care for him, and I know he's going to pull through this. Just make sure _you're_ okay, too."

"Sure," Claude nodded, not really wanting to make any promises. He'd had to spend less and less time with Sebastian now that he'd started working. He'd managed to get as few hours as possible. When he wasn't at the gallery, he was with Sebastian. Sure, it was unhealthy, but that didn't bother Claude much. "You guys have a safe flight."

"We love you, Claude," Sebastian's mom waved as she and her husband disappeared down the hall. Claude was slightly taken aback. Sebastian's mother had never really verbally expressed any sort of affection for him before. He was pleased. Pleased that she was finally opening up to him and letting him into her life. He just wished it would have happened under different circumstances.

Claude hadn't been alone in a room with Sebastian for quite some time, and felt slightly awkward now that it was just the two of them. He shuffled out of the room and went to find a vending machine. He realized he hadn't eaten anything all day, and starving.

Time had passed. So much time. Sebastian had been comatose for almost three weeks now. Claude hadn't really bothered to keep track of the time, but there was nothing else on his mind. He couldn't help but calculate how long it had been. It had been the worst three weeks of his life. Sebastian was hanging in the balance, and there was no guarantee he would wake up. If he didn't, at some point, Claude would have to make a decision. That was a decision he never wanted to make in his life. He couldn't. He just… _missed_ Sebastian. He missed their stupid fights. He missed their Friday night movie nights. He missed Sebastian's spontaneity. He missed the feel of Sebastian's arms around his waist, the feel of his lips against his skin, the sound of his laugh. More than anything he wanted Sebastian's companionship. He didn't want to be alone- and without Sebastian, he was alone.

He shuffled back to Sebastian's room, not even really sure what he had just purchased from the vending machine- and honestly, not caring. He collapsed in the chair beside Sebastian's bed and let out a long sigh. How much longer would this go on? How many more weeks of loneliness and fear? He wasn't sure how much longer he could do this. He buried his face in his hands. He was tired. He was ready for all of this to end. He just wanted-

"You look gorgeous," said a thick, crackly voice. It sounded like it hadn't been used in weeks. Claude's head snapped up.

_Sebastian._

"Oh my God!" Claude exclaimed, standing on his feet. "You're awake," he said lamely. He wasn't really sure which emotions were running through his brain or why, and he didn't care. He grinned from ear to ear, and teared up like a dope. He took Sebastian's hand.

"No, seriously, though. Why do you look like you haven't slept in five years?" Sebastian said, concern showing on his face. His words were slightly slurred, his eyes still only half open. He was adorable.

"Don't worry about me," Claude said hurriedly, planting a kiss on Sebastian's cheek. "How are you feeling? Can I get you anything?"

"I'm fine," Sebastian smiled. "Considering." He sighed, surveying the surroundings of his room. "How long have I been here?"

"You were in a coma for three weeks," Claude said. "Your parents came to visit. I've been here off and on."

"Liar," Sebastian said. "You've been here the whole time. I couldn't wake up, but I heard you sometimes. You read some really boring ass books to me."

"God, I've missed you," Claude laughed, sitting beside Sebastian.

Understatement of the year.

* * *

**A/N:**Oh. My. It has been far too long! I've been working on this chapter on and off again. Midterms are finally over with, so hopefully I'll have a little more free time, but... I can't make any promises :C

Thank you SO much for all of your support in the meantime. And a big fat WELCOME to my new readers! If I haven't freaked you out yet with all my random, crazy author's notes, be prepared. I probably will.

SO UNDERTAKER MAKES AN APPEARANCE. You people just love him, don't you? Well, I don't blame you. At all. He's pretty cool! And he's a doctor- not an undertaker in this one... it just worked better. Haters gonna hate. BUT, I will go down with the Grelliam ship, so I'm going to be up front and honest: No Grell\Undertaker action. Don't get your hopes up. Sorry. But not really. (Grelliam 5evs! Hahahaha! Okay. Done fangirling.)

ALSO- I'm sorry for all the sadness in this fic... I just feel like its going to build up the rest of the story well. And besides, its not called Contentment, CATASTROPHE, and a Happy Medium for nothing! Life isn't perfect. Not even in my fanfictions. C: PLUS, I've been watching a lot of depressing shit lately (*cough* SUPERNATURAL *cough*) and its kind of affecting me. So yeah. Happiness will come! I swear!

ANYWAYS. Hope all of you had a completely FABULOUS Halloween. If you're from a country where its not celebrated, I'm sorry :C I hope you had a wonderful last day of October in any case! All right. That's about all I've got. Feel free to PM me or leave a review if you have any questions or thoughts or whatevs. I LOVE YOU ALL! *MWAH*


	5. As Fate Would Have It

**A\N:**Just a quick note: the italicized text is a "flashback" of sorts, and is in Sebastian's point of view (WHAAAT? I know. I just had to change things up a bit!) Hope it all makes sense when you read. Enjoy!

* * *

"_Oh, my God, I'm so sorry; I'm in the wrong room!" Said a young, nervous looking blonde girl. She wrung her hands nervously and flashed a smile. Sebastian sat up, grinning easily._

"_No worries," He said. "I don't get many visitors other than Claude. Can I point you in the right direction?"_

_The blonde girl shrugged, stepping further into the room. "I'm just really lost. I came here for an ultrasound, and I guess I'm in the wrong building. I'm really sorry, I'm just a wreck. I'm nervous as hell, and Vincent isn't here. He's good at keeping me level-headed, you know?"_

"_Oh, yeah," Sebastian said. "I think that the maternity ward and all that stuff is on the west side of the building. This is the side for recently recovered comatose losers," he laughed._

"_Oh, that's terrible!" the girl said. "I mean, I'm glad that you're alright," the girl laughed lightly, when she saw Sebastian wasn't taking the topic too seriously. "How long were you out?"_

"_I've been told it's been three weeks," Sebastian said, shrugging. "But, an ultrasound. That's great!" He smiled changing the subject. "Congratulations."_

"_I'm not ready," the girl sighed. "I mean, I'm just nervous, you know? Vincent isn't here, and I'm lost and hormonal… I just don't want to go do this thing alone."_

"_I'm sure I'd be a poor substitute, but I think I could manage to sneak into the maternity ward with you," Sebastian offered. The girl's face brightened slightly._

"_Oh, do you think you could? I mean, would they let you leave here?" she asked, glancing out nervously into the hallway._

"_Getting permission isn't an issue, trust me," Sebastian laughed, standing. He stretched his aching limbs. He hadn't used them in ages, and he was sore all over. But movement felt better than nothing. He had basically been lying down since he was admitted to the hospital. "Shall we?" he asked, offering her his arm._

_They walked down the hospital hallways arm in arm, and in silence at first. Sebastian was just glad to be out of the confines of his room. The hospital staff looked at him as though they were about to ask what room he belonged in, but most of them decided that he wouldn't be out and about if he wasn't allowed to, so they let him pass._

"_My name is Rachel, by the way," the girl said, breaking the silence._

"_I'm Sebastian," Sebastian said, introducing himself in return._

"_I don't really know how to thank you for doing this," Rachel said softly. "Vincent would be here if he could. He didn't want me to go alone. We're both really anxious about the baby, of course."_

"_But I'm sure you're excited, too," Sebastian said, trying to be reassuring. "Starting a family is a big step."_

"_Oh, do you have children?" Rachel asked, her eyes gleaming softly._

"_No," Sebastian laughed. "My partner, Claude, he wants them more than anything. Or he _did. _He used to talk about starting a family all the time. Ever since my accident, though, he's kind of dropped the subject altogether. Which kinda bums me out, you know? I think starting a family is a wonderful idea…"_

"_I just wish I was ready," Rachel sighed. "Vincent and I, we've always known that we wanted to have a family. It's just that neither of us is prepared. Not financially, not mentally, not physically. So we're putting the baby up for adoption. Sooner, rather than later. Just so it will be easier on everyone." She sighed. "It's hard, going through all of this, and not knowing what is going to happen to your child. Not knowing who it's going to be when it grows up." There was a pause. "I'm sorry. I'm dumping all of this on you, and we've only just met," She said, laughing lightly._

"_Well, you've got to let your feelings out sometime," Sebastian smiled. "Keeping them inside for so long can be incredibly unhealthy."_

_Sebastian didn't know much about ultrasounds. In fact, it was probably one of the things on the planet he knew the least about. From what he could tell, however, everything went well. Rachel's nervous edge faded away and she was beaming before long. He held her hand through the procedure, but his thoughts drifted to Claude._

_Why _had _Claude stopped talking about a family? Sebastian knew it was something that he had wanted for a long time. And Claude never gave up on his dreams. Never. Sometimes that was good, and sometimes that was bad. But Sebastian liked to believe that in this instance, it was a good thing._

_Dr. Montagne told him that he would suffer memory loss. Honestly, Sebastian couldn't really remember how he felt about having kids prior to the accident. But the idea was growing on him. He almost _died. _And if he had, what would he have accomplished in his life? Nothing, really. There was no legacy he was leaving behind. He would just be leaving Claude behind, and alone. And kids weren't half bad. Sure, they could be snotty little shits from time to time, but so could Claude, and Sebastian seemed to be able to put up with _him_ just fine._

"_You asked about the gender of your baby," The nurse addressed Rachel, interrupting Sebastian's thoughts. "Well, first I should clear something up. You're having twins."_

_Rachel's grip on Sebastian's hand tightened ever so slightly, and she smiled._

"_From what I can see, they're both boys," the nurse said. "Healthy little things."_

"_Twins," Rachel breathed, looking over at Sebastian._

* * *

"_Lost again?" Sebastian joked, as Rachel knocked softly on his open door. She had been stopping in once and a while every few days just to visit. Vincent worked nights, and she got lonely. Which was just as well for Sebastian- Claude had a show at the Gallery that took up most of his time._

"_No, I've been thinking," She said, pulling up a chair beside his bed. "We're fairly close now. I think we can help each other out. I mean, you're a really nice guy. You've conveniently been there for me every time I've needed it," she said, tucking her blonde hair behind her ears. "It's kinda weird. I don't believe in unavoidable fate, or anything like that, but it kinda seems like you were placed in my life right now for a reason."_

"_Are we having a chick flick moment?" Sebastian asked, laughing a little._

"_I guess," Rachel shrugged, laughing lightly. "When we first met, you told me that you wanted kids. And I'm looking for someone to adopt. I've talked the whole thing over with Vincent, and he'd really like to meet the two of you. If you want to adopt, that is," She said. She pursed her lips nervously, waiting for Sebastian's response._

"_Rachel," Sebastian said, slightly taken aback. "I- I don't know… Yes," Sebastian stammered. "Of course Claude and I would love to meet with you and Vincent. I mean, I have to tell him about potentially adopting, but I'm sure he'll be plenty excited with the idea… Are you sure about this?"_

_Rachel nodded. "I've met with other people looking to adopt, but none of them _feel _right. I personally don't connect with any of them, and I couldn't see them raising my children. I can't really explain it."_

"_Well, you clearly don't know me very well," Sebastian said, laughing. "If you can picture me as a father… That's not even something I can do myself." He smiled._

"_I don't think anyone can see themselves as a parent until it actually happens," Rachel said, reassuringly. "And if Claude is every bit as sweet as you say he is, I honestly can't think of any two people that would be better suited to the job of raising children. You don't need to be nervous about a single thing."_

_Sebastian fell silent, completely unsure of what to say. In all honesty, the thought of being a father scared the hell out of him. What if he messed up? What if his kids hated him? There were endless questions running through his head. It seemed like there would suddenly be a lot of responsibility riding on his shoulders._

"_Just give me a call when you want to meet up and talk about it," Rachel said, smiling and standing. "There's no rush. We've still got about four months."_

* * *

"One more night and I think it's safe to let you go home," the Undertaker said with a grin. Claude walked into Sebastian's hospital room, barely catching the good news. He smiled at Sebastian and his-rather quirky- doctor. "So far no major memory loss. Vitals seem great. You've got yourself a fighter," he said, clapping Claude on the shoulder before leaving the room.

"That's great news," Claude said sitting beside Sebastian. He reached into his shoulder bag and pulled out a small white bag, handing it to Sebastian.

"Claude, am I supposed to have these?" he asked, slightly surprised, but accepting the bag regardlessly. Claude laughed lightly.

"Probably not," he shrugged. "I had to sneak them past the nurses, but I know saltwater taffy is one of your favorites. Plus, I feel like shit since I haven't been able to see you on a consistent basis." There was a lull in conversation as Sebastian quickly tore into the sweets that Claude had brought him. "So you really remember everything, huh?" Claude asked, after half the bag had disappeared.

"Well, not _everything_," Sebastian admitted. "The last thing I remember before the wreck was going to dinner at the Midfords. The rest… it's just gone. Why? Did something important happen? Other than me almost killing myself, that is."

"No," Claude said, biting his tongue. It was for the best that Sebastian didn't remember anything else. In fact, he was sure he wouldn't have it any other way. They could start over, and Claude swore right then and there that he would never fight with Sebastian about children again. Sebastian would be ready to have a family when he was ready. And if that moment never came, then at least they had each other. There wasn't anything more that Claude could ask for.

"You know," Sebastian said, his cheek full of taffy, "I've been thinking." He sat a little straighter and put the bag of taffy on the bedside table.

"God help us all," Claude grinned.

"Would you stop? I'm trying to be serious for a moment, dammit," Sebastian said, laughing a little. Oh, Claude had missed that laugh. "Well, it's just that this accident has put some things into perspective for me. I mean, I guess I'm changed a little."

"What do you mean?" Claude asked, not really sure he was ready to hear Sebastian's response. Sebastian didn't seem all that different. He seemed to be the same adorable smart-mouth he always had been. But it wasn't entirely impossible for Sebastian to have changed. It was Claude's greatest fear, after all.

"I guess, I just… we're not going to be around forever, Claude. _I'm _not going to be around forever. And that thought kind of scares me," he said softly, dropping his gaze. Claude took his hand.

"Don't talk like that," he said, soothingly. "You're 26, and you're full of life. We're at the top of our games! The end isn't going to roll around for a few more decades."

"Oh, I know. It's not necessarily _dying_ that scares me," Sebastian sighed. "I just… I want to _do_ something with my life, you know? Something worthwhile. And I'm not necessarily talking about a career," Sebastian raised his eyes, and looked into Claude's. "If you really want to, I think we should start having kids."

Claude's breath caught in his throat. He almost didn't believe what he just heard come from Sebastian's lips. It couldn't have been real. Did Sebastian really not remember the whole reason he'd gotten in the car accident in the first place?

"That car accident really must have rattled your brains," Claude laughed nervously. "Sebastian, you don't want kids. You never have." Sebastian's eyes widened in disbelief.

"What? I don't?" He sounded genuinely shocked.

"Well you didn't," Claude said. "That was one of the last conversations we had before your accident. We fought about kids. Stupid kids," Claude laughed, tearing up a little. The whole argument seemed entirely ridiculous now. They had time. They had plenty of time.

"And I didn't want kids," Sebastian inferred. "Well, Claude, I'm an idiot, and I'm glad you fought with me," he said, squeezing Claude's hand a little. "Now that you mention it, I kinda do remember that fight," he laughed. "And I remember that you were right. Maybe that's why I was so mad. Deep down I knew you were right. I just wasn't ready to admit it to myself, I guess. But I am now. I really _really_ want kids," he grinned.

"You're a psychopath," Claude laughed, leaning in and kissing Sebastian softly. "You don't want kids one minute, and the next, you're practically _begging_ me to raise a family. But I'm glad. Really, I am."

"Well, good. Not that I've been jumping the gun or anything, but it's kinda boring here in the hospital. I just lay around all day and eat ice cream. But there's someone that I want you to meet," Sebastian said. There was a soft knock at the door. "Come in," Sebastian called, one of his mischievous grins plastered onto his face.

Claude turned. Into the room walked a pair of teenagers. They weren't incredibly young- they were teetering on the brink of adulthood. The boy was tall and slender. He had pale skin, dark eyes, and dark hair. His arm was wrapped around the waist of a frail, but heavily pregnant looking blonde, whose smile lit up the room. Her clear blue eyes sparkled as she and the boy approached Sebastian and Claude.

"You must be Claude," she said, offering her hand. "I'm Rachel. This is my boyfriend, Vincent."

"It's a pleasure," Claude said, smiling. He stood, offering his chair to Rachel, who gratefully accepted. He glanced over at Sebastian, knowing exactly what the buffoon had planned.

"I met Sebastian by accident a few weeks ago," Rachel said, still smiling. "I was in the wrong building for an ultrasound," she laughed lightly. "We got to talking, and he tells me the two of you might be interested in adoption?"

"I-uh, well, if- It's just-" Claude fumbled. He wasn't good at spur-of-the-moment situations, and hadn't really been warned ahead of time that any of this was going to happen.

"-Yes," Sebastian said, smiling.

"I think that's wonderful," Rachel said, her eyes still gleaming. "Vincent and I, we'd love to keep the children, but it's just not possible. We've talked about it, and we'd like for you to be the adoptive parents. We can get you the paperwork and everything."

"Are you sure?" Claude asked, entirely in disbelief. "I mean, you hardly know _me_."

"Well, I've gotten to be very well acquainted with Sebastian. He swears up and down that you're wonderful, and quite frankly, I can't help but believe him," Rachel laughed girlishly. "And we have plenty of time to get to know each other. Four months, to be exact. It's nothing I want you to rush into, but I want you to know it's an option."

"Children?" Claude asked, finally picking up on the plural articles Rachel was using.

"Oh, yes," Rachel beamed. "Twin boys."

* * *

**A\N:**So yeah... yeah. Finally an update! I feel like I've been slacking. This particular chapter was hard for me to write, simply because I didn't want to drag it out- but I wanted to establish SOME sort of relationship between Rachel and Sebastian before she was all "Hey, wanna adopt my kids?" So yeah. If it seems awkward and fast-paced, I apologize. C:

BUT YES. We are moving into the fluff, so that is good. For me, at least. And I'm assuming for you, too, otherwise you wouldn't have picked this fic... I dunno. Now I'm just rambling. HUGE thank-yous again, to all of my readers! Your support is so wonderful and helps me to stay inspired. I'm really glad that I can write things that you find enjoyable!

Hope the winter months are treating you well! Stay warm!


	6. Falling Back into Place

The morning dawned brightly, and Claude was satisfied to roll over and feel the warmth of Sebastian beside him. He snuggled closer, burying his face in Sebastian's chest. Sleepily, Sebastian wrapped his arm around Claude and let out a contented sigh.

It had been far too long since they'd been able to share a simple moment like this. Claude, for one, had missed it- it just never really struck him how _much_ he missed it up until now. Now that Sebastian was home and safe, things could return to a sense of normalcy.

"Oh, shit," Claude said, bolting upright. He'd glanced at the clock-half glad he did, half horribly upset. Speaking of normalcy- he had a job that was calling his name. He swung his feet over the side of the bed and quickly stood.

"S'matter?" Sebastian asked, propping his head up on the palm of his hand.

"I'm late!" Claude exclaimed frantically.

"Come on," Sebastian groaned. "Can't you just take the day off? It's my first day back home!" Claude looked over at Sebastian's pitiful face. He sighed. Sebastian honestly had no idea how badly Claude wanted to take the day off. Not only from work, but just everything in general. He'd had so much on his mind the past few weeks, and having Sebastian home safely seemed to ease the immense burden. Spending a whole day with Sebastian would surely make everything infinitely better.

"I can't," he sighed. "The exhibit opening is tonight, and I still have so much to do. I would take off any other day, but today I just can't." He turned and walked to the closet, digging for something to wear.

"Please?" Sebastian pleaded. "Just this once." Claude laughed and shook his head.

"Old habits die hard, troublemaker," he grinned. "You should know by now that I'm not one to break the rules. Especially not when I want to keep my job."

"Every party needs a pooper, that's why they invited you," Sebastian sang, chucking his pillow across the room and hitting Claude in the back. Claude laughed lightly and walked to the bathroom.

He flicked on the light, and began running hot water for his shower. "You're coming tonight, right?" He asked, sticking his head out of the bathroom. "You're invited."

"Coming to what?" Sebastian asked, giving him a puzzled look.

"To the exhibit opening, hopeless," Claude laughed.

"Well, I _would_ enjoy seeing you in your tux," Sebastian said, smirking. "What time?"

"It starts at seven," Claude said, walking back into the bathroom. Once he was sure the shower water was warm enough, he got in. "There will be plenty of alcohol, just in case you start to feel overwhelmed," he joked, raising his voice to be heard over the pattering water from the shower.

"Well that's a comforting thought," Sebastian laughed, shuffling into the bathroom. Claude could hear him pulling drawers open and turning on the sink. "Uff ah go, ahm ah gohnna gaht lahyd?" Sebastian asked, through a mouthful of toothpaste.

"Only if you behave yourself," Claude laughed, interpreting Sebastian's slurred words. "I think you can manage to pull that off for one night. And this time, since I'm in charge of everything, we can leave early. You probably remember the last opening gala, when I had to stay until the crack of dawn cleaning?" Claude chattered happily on, glad to have company again. "You should see if Agni and the Midfords want to come, too. I feel better when people I know show up." Claude closed his eyes, brushing his hair out of his face, and letting the water gently pull him out of his groggy state.

He jumped a little as he felt Sebastian's lips at his neck, and his arms around his waist.

"What are you doing?" he asked, trying to sound annoyed. "Sebastian, I'm already late!" Sebastian just grinned.

"Exactly. You're already late, so what difference will it make if you're another few minutes?" he kissed Claude's shoulder.

"You're a terrible influence," Claude grinned, tilting his neck to the side, allowing Sebastian's kisses to trail up to his jaw.

"I thought that's why you liked me so much," Sebastian grinned. "Because it couldn't have been my smashing good looks or wonderfully charming personality." Claude scoffed, but smiled all the same and turned to face Sebastian as he was pulled closer. "God, I've missed you," Sebastian whispered sincerely against Claude's lips.

Claude wasn't really sure if it was because of Sebastian's prolonged absence and their lack of physical contact, but for the first time in a long time, he felt sort or reminiscent of his college days. That is to say, his heart had found its way to his throat.

It wasn't exactly a bad way to start the morning.

* * *

"-Yes, sir. He's on the line right now, actually," Claude's secretary said into the phone. She put her palm over the receiver, "I have Mr. Chambers on hold," she whispered. "I told him you were in a meeting." Claude mouthed a "thank you" as he rushed into his office to pick up his transferred call. He was an hour late to work, but as a smile crept on his face, he realized he didn't regret being late for one moment.

"This is Claude," he said, picking up his ringing phone. The other voice on the line was his boss. His boss, Aleister Chamber, was young- especially as business standards went- but kind. He was rather flamboyant, and tended to get a bit stressed about shows, which meant that Claude should expect several phone calls from him throughout the day.

"How are things going? Were you out?" Chamber asked, his voice slightly strained. "You'll be ready for tonight, right?"

"I was a little late this morning," Claude said, hoping that the smile in his voice went undetected, "But things are ahead of schedule. We'll be more than prepared for tonight."

"Excellent," Chamber said, letting out a sigh. "The caterer should be coming around noon, but don't forget to call him and bug him if he's even a minute late."

"Of course," Claude said, trying to sound as though he deeply cared. Sometimes it seemed as though Aleister didn't remember that Claude had been working for him for years. If there was one thing in this job Claude knew how to do well, it was opening an exhibit. Nevertheless, Aleister gave him detailed instructions on how things were to be run.

"Remind them to stay in the kitchen," Aleister said, a slight groan in his voice. "Last time, they made a mess in the exhibit. So they can only bring out the food once it's about a half an hour before opening."

"And I'll have the tables up a good two hours before," Claude said, knowing that was going to be his next bit of instruction. He heard Aleister laugh lightly on the other end.

"I know things are in good hands when I trust them to you," he said, cheerily. "That new gallery would have been a mess if I hadn't put you there." He sighed, taking a brief moment to think if he had forgotten to give Claude any further instructions. "Well, well. Look at me, wasting your time with dilly-dally conversations! I'll call in a couple hours to see how things are going," he said.

"I'll be expecting your call then," Claude said. He heard Aleister hang up and he followed suit. He let out a small sigh. Fortunately, he didn't have _too_ much to do before the opening. With Sebastian's parents in town- and their insistence that he take some time for himself- Claude had begun preparations several days ahead of schedule. He couldn't have just sat at home and done nothing. It would have driven him crazy.

The rest of the day went without a hitch. The caterers were on time, all of the lights were working, the pieces were hung, all of the attendants were on time… Claude couldn't have complained about a thing. True to his word, Aleister had called- though he phoned a few more times than he had originally promised- and was pleased to hear that things were on the right track. After Aleister's seventh call of the day, Claude was finally able to convince him that things were going to go well, and that he didn't need to worry, though he appreciated the concern.

The evening began in a blur. As soon as people arrived, Claude was whisked to and fro- greeting a guest here, answering a question about a piece there, meeting one prestigious person after another. He hadn't realized how exhausted he was becoming until, around half past eight, he saw Sebastian saunter into the building, fashionably late, of course. Trying to contain his grin, Claude walked quickly to the door.

"Am I under dressed?" Sebastian asked, glancing around the room. Claude had always felt that no matter _what_ Sebastian was wearing, he was always the best looking person in the room. But his answer wasn't biased. Sebastian was wearing a suit that clung nicely to his slender frame. His hair was brushed, yet styled in a messy way, and his eyes sparkled. It was nice to see Sebastian looking so healthy and alive again.

"Of course not," Claude reassured him. Sebastian grinned and pulled him in for a kiss. "Sebastian!" Claude groaned, pushing Sebastian lightly away. "We're in _public_." Claude had never really gotten over his self-consciousness when it came to public displays of affection. Nevertheless, he was still beaming at Sebastian and overly giddy.

"Agni wanted to tag along," Sebastian said grinning, gesturing behind his shoulder. "I figured you wouldn't mind if I brought him." The dark skinned man hadn't wandered far from the front door, but his eyes were already transfixed on several pieces in the distance. Upon hearing his name, however, his attention snapped to Claude and Sebastian.

"Glad you could come," Claude said, offering his hand to Agni, who shook it enthusiastically.

"Thank you for the invitation," Agni beamed. "It's not often I get out to events like these. Soma's not quite to the age where he appreciates them," he said, laughing.

"I'm sure he'll get there," Claude laughed. "Does this mean you've already found a good babysitter?" he asked, the question suddenly popping into his head. It wasn't something he had to worry about _now_, but soon he'd have to know these kinds of things. Especially since both he and Sebastian would be working.

"Not quite," Agni sighed. "I've done some shopping around, but no one really fantastic turned up. Frances offered to watch him since Alexis had to work late tonight and she didn't feel up to traveling by herself."

"Well, let me know if you find anyone," Claude said, giving him a parting pat on the shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his secretary waiting to approach him. "If you'll excuse me," he mumbled in passing.

"Sorry to bug you," she said apologetically as they met each other halfway. Her eyes fell on Sebastian. "Oh," she said, smiling. "It's good to see you out and about again," she said before turning her attention back to Claude. "There's a photographer at the back door, wondering if he can take pictures of the exhibit, for his newspaper. He forgot his ID, so-"

Claude gave a small sigh. Of course the evening wasn't going to go _perfectly_. He should just be grateful that the only thing he had to deal with was a background check. And as far as those went, he could be pretty lenient. There were only a few pieces that couldn't be photographed without permission.

"-I'll handle this," he said, turning to walk toward the back.

"_Please_ tell me I can go back there with you," Sebastian said nervously, walking quickly to keep up with Claude's quick pace.

"Sorry," Claude said, grinning. "The champagne is along that wall," he said, gesturing to the far wall where the caterers had set up. "I should be back in a few minutes, so don't get carried away." He winked in parting.

It took a simple phone call, and the photographer was allowed- along with his cameras- into the exhibit. When Claude walked back into the main gallery room, he wasn't surprised to find that Sebastian had wandered from the champagne table (though Claude couldn't help but notice that the amount of filled glasses had _seriously_ begun to dwindle). Sebastian wasn't all that hard to find, either. He had wandered back to Agni's side, and was talking his ear off. Agni- who was actually interested in the exhibit- was dealing with Sebastian quite patiently.

"I'll take him off your hands," Claude whispered to Agni with a small smile. "Reminding him about the alcohol was probably a bad idea."

"Oh, thank God, you're back," Sebastian said, his voice a little loud. Luckily, he wasn't drawing any attention. However, if the issue didn't get addressed, things wouldn't stay that way for long. Especially since Sebastian was… well, Sebastian.

"Inside voice, Sebastian," Claude said, smugly. Sebastian, who had obviously consumed a little too much champagne in Claude's absence nodded. Luckily, he wasn't completely gone. Just a little buzzed.

"All these ritzy people make me nervous," he whispered loudly to Claude. "And I have no idea what is going on in half these pieces." Claude smiled a bit.

"Let's take the tour then, shall we?" Claude said, hoping to keep Sebastian away from the champagne table for the rest of the evening. Clade walked arm in arm with Sebastian, leading him from piece to piece. He described each piece in great detail, Sebastian pretending to be engrossed, but asking questions that proved otherwise. Still, it was amusing to Claude, and he did his best to answer all of Sebastian's inquiries. In the instances where he didn't know the answers, Claude- without shame- made something up. It wasn't as though Sebastian would know the difference.

As they made their way through all of the pieces, the hours ticked by, and members in the crowd began to dwindle. They completed their tour at around eleven- thirty and met back up with Agni.

"I hope _you_ drove," Claude grinned at Agni. "Sebastian's a little less buzzed, but I still don't want to put him behind a wheel."

"Yes, I drove," Agni said, with a smile. "Are you staying later?"

"No, I think I'm going to call it a night," Claude said, yawning a little. "I can take Sebastian home. I just have to do some things here first." Agni nodded. "Again, I'm really glad you could come. It's nice to see a familiar face in the crowd, you know?"

"The pleasure was all mine," Agni assured him. "It's nice to live so close to a gallery."

Claude and Sebastian parted ways with Agni. Claude turned to find his secretary, knowing that she could handle things in his absence. He gave her detailed instructions on how things were to be cleaned, and reminded her to make sure the caterers didn't forget any of their materials. He bid her a good night, and walked with Sebastian into the chilly fall evening air.

"I know you don't like these things so much," Claude said, slipping his fingers between Sebastian's. "Thanks for coming."

"I told you I wanted to see you in your tux," Sebastian said, giving a dopey grin. "It's totally worth it. Especially if you follow up on your promise."

"My promise?" Claude asked, completely unaware that he had promised anything to Sebastian that day. "I can't imagine what you're talking about." Claude unlocked the car as they approached.

"Well, I was on my best behavior," Sebastian said, pulling the passenger door open. "That deserves _some_ sort of reward, doesn't it?"

"What about making me late for work this morning?" Claude laughed as he started the car. "That hardly counts as good behavior," he said jokingly. "But I'm sure _something _can be worked out," he said, kissing Sebastian's cheek.

He was glad, more than anything, to have Sebastian back by his side. Glad that Sebastian was safe. Glad that things were continually looking up for him. Glad today was just a normal day. But, most of all, he was glad things were able to fall right back into place after such a catastrophe. It was life. Bad things happened, but as long as he had Sebastian, he'd be able to face whatever was thrown his way.

* * *

**A\N:** WOW, really sorry that updates have been so slow! Pre-finals week is definitely kicking my butt. But anyways, here's some fluffiness that I've been working on off and on for a while. I promise that the plot is about to start picking up... because guess whose birthdays are in December? C:

Thank you so much to all for your continued enthusiasm and patience. C: Have a good week!

*mwah*


	7. New Beginnings

The winter was unusually warm. Instead of the snowfall that Claude so looked forward to every year, there was only the occasional pour of rain. Rain made it hard to get in the Christmas spirit, as such, and so Claude was sluggish and filled with gloom that morning when Sebastian had planned to decorate the house.

Claude had learned over time that Sebastian was a particular fan of Christmas. The holiday music would be playing in the house the moment he got home, he would think of any excuse he could to drink hot chocolate and snack on candy canes, and bought practically every piece of Christmas decorations he could get his hands on.

"Well you're certainly Miss Mary Sunshine this morning, aren't you?" Sebastian laughed, as he brought the Christmas tree in from the garage. Claude only grumbled in reply, earning another hearty laugh from Sebastian. As Sebastian turned back to the box with the tree in it, Claude resumed his task of draping garland in random places around the house.

"Have you talked to Rachel lately?" Sebastian asked, striking up conversation. Claude looked over his shoulder to see Sebastian fumbling to pull all of the tree parts out of the box.

"Not for the past few days," Claude admitted. "She's supposed to be going to the hospital in the next few days. She's due really soon." Claude finished arranging the garland on the fireplace and sat on the floor next to Sebastian. He proceeded to help put the tree together, carefully spreading out the fake branches. "It's weird, isn't it?" Claude asked as he worked. "Thinking that we might actually be parents by the time Christmas rolls around?' The idea made him smile.

"Shit," Sebastian sighed, adding another layer of branches to the tiered tree. "Thanks for reminding me I haven't even thought of buying our own children Christmas presents," he laughed a little. "I'm a horrible father already."

"Don't say that," Claude said, giving Sebastian a light shove. "If you forget _next _year, when they might actually remember Christmas, _then_ you'll be a horrible father." He smiled, kissing the tip of Sebastian's nose. "Besides, you've still got time to go and get gifts. Christmas isn't for another week and a half, you know."

"I suppose," Sebastian sighed. "I just like to be prepared for these things." He stood, adding the last few layers to the tree. Claude followed suit, but began to spread the branches, attempting to make the tree look as realistic as possible. A comfortable silence, barring the Frank Sinatra Christmas music, of course, filled the space between them.

Despite the fact that the rain and grey morning sky filled Claude with gloom, his spirits were lifting. The dreary weather was becoming more calming and peaceful, the patter of the rain on the roof, adding to the melody of the morning. He had no reason to _not _be happy, he reminded himself as he unpacked the boxes of Christmas tree ornaments. As he reached in to grab the first of the ornaments, something caught his eye.

"Hey," he said, laughing. "Remember these?" he pulled out a reindeer antler headband and threw it in Sebastian's direction. Sebastian caught them, and laughed, promptly placing them on his head. "You can only wear those as long as you promise to keep everything else on, too," Claude said laughing, happy memories coming to his mind.

"Hey! I only went streaking that one time," Sebastian said, attempting to be defensive, but mostly just laughing.

"Yep," Claude said, "and got a big fat fine for public indecency. I think it's safe to assume you learned your lesson, right?" Sebastian only laughed in response.

Claude and Sebastian both turned their attention back to the tree, lacing it with beads and lights and ornaments. As the hours passed, the atmosphere of their home changed. All of the Christmas clutter made the whole house seem more cheery- and all the multicolored lights certainly made it brighter. As they carried on decorating, both Sebastian and Claude were in and out of the kitchen, cooking various Christmas treats. In the evening, they heard a knock at their door. They exchanged brief quizzical looks- Claude certainly wasn't expecting anyone.

They opened their front door, and found a beaming and heavily pregnant Francis and little Edward on their front steps.

"Can you hand that plate to Claude, sweetie?" Francis said encouragingly to Edward. Edward offered a large plate laden with Christmas cookies to Claude, the large smile on his face spreading even wider. "Edward wanted to bake cookies for the neighbors today while he was off from school," she explained. "And we hadn't stopped by to see the two of you in a while."

"Well, thank you," Claude said, beaming. It was wonderful to have kind neighbors- something he'd had a shortage of through most of his young life. "Did you make these all by yourself, Ed?" he asked, addressing the short blond boy.

"Mostly," Edward nodded proudly. "But mom wouldn't let me do the oven part."

"You know, that's perfectly alright," Claude said, comfortingly. "Sometimes Sebastian won't let me do the oven part, either. You've got to be very careful around it. But don't worry; you'll be able to do the oven part someday." Edward brightened.

"You know," Sebastian said, taking the plate of cookies from Claude, "We can actually return the favor. I'll be right back." He walked quickly into the kitchen and returned with another plate, laden with undecorated gingerbread cookies. "Claude and I made these, but we made a little more than we'll be able to eat. Would you like to decorate them?" he asked, handing the plate to Edward. The small blond boy's eyes widened with delight. "There's four of them, one for you, one for your mom, one for your dad, and one for the baby. We left 'em blank so you can decorate them."

"Oh, thank you," Francis smiled. "I'm always so horrible at gingerbread anything, but they're Alexis' favorites," She laughed, but stopped abruptly, placing a hand on the side of her large belly. "This kid's definitely a kicker," she said, laughing lightly again.

"When are you due?" Claude asked. "You look like you're going to pop any second."

"Oh, I wish," Francis laughed again. "I'm not due until late January, but if this baby is anything like Edward, I might still be waiting in February," she smiled. "What about Rachel? Isn't she due this month?"

"Yeah," Sebastian nodded. "We haven't heard from her in a while, but she's supposed to be going to the hospital here in the next few days."

"That's wonderful," Francis said, letting out a girlish squeal. "You _must _call me as soon as you bring the twins home! We've got to throw a shower or something! Unless, of course, you have a stash of baby supplies lying around that I don't know about," she joked with a wink.

"Well, if you hear a scream in the middle of the night, and then see our car leave the garage, you'll know around when to expect us with the twins," Claude laughed.

"I'll be listening, then," she laughed, taking Edward's hand. "We've got to run over to Agni's before it gets too dark. You two have a good night, alright?" she said, grinning over her shoulder. Claude and Sebastian both called out goodbyes and closed the front door.

"Would it be horrible to just eat these cookies for dinner?" Claude asked, shuffling back towards the kitchen. Without waiting for an answer, he took a large bite out of one of the cookies. They were sweet and still warm. He closed his eyes, letting his tongue relish in the taste.

"I'll let you get by without eating your vegetables if you'll have a Christmas movie marathon with me," Sebastian said, wagging his eyebrows up and down. Claude laughed. By "Christmas movie marathon" Sebastian meant "Let's watch 'White Christmas' and 'It's A Wonderful Life' until we fall asleep." Sebastian's Christmas traditions were always the same. Some days it was annoying, but some days, the consistency was welcomed.

"As long as you don't make me sing along," Claude laughed, before popping the rest of the cookie into his mouth.

* * *

Claude and Sebastian were snuggled on the couch, a thick red blanket draped across the two of them. Sebastian's arm was draped around Claude's waist, and by the sound of his breathing he was asleep. The later it got in the evening, the harder the rain poured. But, Claude could hardly describe it as gloomy now. He was in nothing but good spirits. He glanced at the time. It was twelve in the morning. He should probably be tired, considering he didn't get much sleep the night before, but he only felt wide awake. His eyes were glued to the black and white images flashing across the TV.

The phone rang, breaking the still of the moment. Claude sat up, utterly confused as to why _anyone_ would be calling this early in the morning. His stirring woke Sebastian, who sat and rubbed his eyes. Sebastian paused the movie as Claude answered the phone.

"Hello?" Claude greeted hesitantly.

"Hey," Vincent's voice greeted. Usually, the boy had a smooth, calm, deep lull when he spoke, but it was clear that he was a little shaken. "It's happening," he said, bluntly.

"What?" Claude asked, his heart rate picking up. "What's happening?"

"Um, Rachel went into labor," Vincent said. He sounded as though he wasn't sure whether to laugh or to cry. "She's totally fine, but you guys probably want to get down here. If not for any other reason than to keep me company," he laughed nervously. Claude bolted up from his sitting position, and frantically ran to grab an umbrella and a pair of shoes. Sebastian was left sitting on the couch looking completely and utterly lost.

"Oh my God!" Claude exclaimed, a little too loudly. "Okay, um, we're on our way. We'll be there!" He hung up without waiting for a response from Vincent. Sebastian stood, and walked over to Claude, his eyes widening a little. "They're coming!" Claude said, wrapping his arms around Sebastian's neck. "The twins are coming!" He kissed Sebastian excitedly before returning to search for his shoes. Sebastian stood frozen for a moment, teetering where he stood. Then, just as suddenly as Claude, he became animated.

Within minutes, the two of them were in the hospital maternity waiting room. They were a little more drenched than they had intended on being, but an umbrella can only do so much good when you're running. Upon their arrival, they found Vincent pacing. He relaxed a little as soon as he saw Claude and Sebastian.

"How is she? How are things? Why aren't you in there?" Claude asked, bombarding the dark haired youth with questions.

"I was," Vincent began, "I was in there for the first hour or so, but I guess I was freaking out a little too much. Rachel told me to wait out here until it was over. So, I called you two."

"So she's only been in labor for a couple hours?" Claude asked. Vincent nodded. "Alright," Claude said, trying to calm his nerves down. He walked over to one of the chairs and sat. Sebastian followed suit, motioning for Vincent to join them.

"How are _you?_" Sebastian asked, filled with caring concern, as the boy sat down. Vincent shrugged, shakily.

"It's just… weird, you know?" he said, letting out another nervous laugh. "I mean, Rachel's having our twins," he paused for a moment. "She totally freaked me out, too. I was asleep, and all of a sudden she's screaming that we need to go to the hospital, because she's sure the babies are coming. I had no idea what to do, so I basically just ran around like an idiot. It's a miracle she's so level headed. I mean, she was crazy excited and irrational at first, but as soon as it became apparent that I was going to be of no use in the situation, she guided me through everything."

"Well, the worst part of it is over for you," Sebastian laughed. "She's here and she's safe. Now, you've just got to wait." He clapped a comforting hand on Vincent's shoulder.

The conversation between the three men was sporadic. Vincent would stand up and pace, then return to his seat, only to stand up and pace again. Sebastian was trying hard to stay awake, but kept dozing off in the uncomfortable chair. Claude was completely restless. He just sat completely still, staring at the clock and watching the minutes tick away.

At about five thirty in the morning, a smiling, but exhausted looking nurse came into the waiting room, and called for Vincent to come with her. Claude and Sebastian both gave him parting words of encouragement and congratulations as he walked away. Claude took Sebastian's hand and smiled.

"This is it," he said, squeezing Sebastian's hand.

"Claude," Sebastian said, looking at the ground. "I- I've never wanted to admit this; never in my entire life. But," he sighed. "I'm really scared. What if this whole parenting thing isn't for me? What if I'm horrible at it and our kids hate me? I don't want to screw up their entire lives."

"Hey," Claude said, soothingly, taking Sebastian's face in his hands. "Don't you ever think for one second that you have nothing to offer these children. You're going to be a great dad. I know it. Rachel knows it, otherwise she wouldn't have suggested we adopt them," Claude smiled. Sebastian's worry was sweet. It was endearing. It made him even more confident that Sebastian was ready to be a father. Admitting insecurity was difficult, but Claude was grateful that Sebastian was willing to share with him. "After all," he added, "You've had my back for all these years. You've watched out for me, and protected me. It's not going to be hard to do that for your children. And as long as you love them and protect them the way you love and protect me, they can't ask for more." Claude smiled, kissing Sebastian, who was still a little shaky. His worried expression had softened a little, and he wrapped his arms around Claude, hugging him tightly.

They separated, but laced their fingers together again. The nurse that had called Vincent away returned. She was still beaming.

"Are you two Claude and Sebastian?" She said, addressing them. Claude nodded, his heart flying up to his throat. He really couldn't believe this moment was here. "Rachel's ready for you to come and see her now." The nurse held open the doors. Claude and Sebastian stood.

"You ready?" Claude asked, breathily and obviously excited. Sebastian nodded, but Claude noted his hand was still shaky. The two of them, hand in hand, followed the nurse down the hall and walked into a small room.

Rachel was sitting upright in her bed, her golden curls still wet with sweat. She looked drained, but her glow was much more noticeable. She beamed as she saw Sebastian and Claude enter the room. In her arms, she held a small bundle. Vincent was sitting in a chair on the side of her bed. He looked just as exhausted as she, though he was beaming down at the small infant he held in _his _arms.

"Hey," she greeted. "Sebastian," she laughed, "Pull up a chair! You look like you're going to drop to the floor any second!" Sebastian didn't need to be told twice. He sat in the chair next to Vincent's, glancing down at the child in the boy's arms, completely speechless.

"How are you?" Claude asked, stepping closer. "Did everything go alright?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine." A small tear leaked out of the corner of her eye. "You wanna hold him?" She asked, offering the child to Claude. He reached out and gently took the child into his arms. The feeling was nothing short of miraculous. It was as though the small bundle was made to fit cradled into his arms. The little face was angelic. He smiled.

"He's so perfect," Claude said softly. "Rachel, I-" he started, but his voice failed him. "Wow," he laughed.

"How are we going to be able to tell them apart?" Sebastian asked dumbly, looking up from the bundle in his own arms. He earned a laugh from Rachel.

"They're fraternal," she said. "At least I think so. So far, that one's got Vincent's hair," she said, gesturing to the baby in Sebastian's arms. "And that one's a blonde."

"Have you thought of what to name them?" Vincent asked, finally back to his old relaxed self. Claude and Sebastian exchanged glances. They'd tossed several names around, but it was more in good fun than anything else. They hadn't really taken the whole naming business very seriously.

"We didn't think… I mean, I thought you were going to name them," Claude said. Rachel smiled.

"They're your kids," she said, laughing a little. "Of _course_ you get to name your own kids."

There was a silence in the room. Claude was pouring through all of the names he had held inside of his brain. He knew Sebastian was doing the same. They had been thinking of naming one of them after Sebastian's dad, but looking down at the two small children, the name didn't really seem to fit. He thought of name after name after name….

"Ciel and Alois," he said, after some time. Sebastian's head snapped up, his eyes wide with shock. Neither of them had uttered those names in years. They were just phantoms of the past really. Not necessarily bad ones, they simply belonged in the _past_.

"…Are- are you serious?" Sebastian asked with a little laugh. Claude smiled.

"Of course I'm serious. The names fit. He looks like a Ciel," Claude said, kneeling down and kissing the small infant in Sebastian's arms. "And he looks like an Alois," he said, looking down at the baby in his own arms.

"I think those names are lovely," Rachel agreed. "What made you think of those names?"

Claude smiled. He thought back to his Sophomore year of college, back when he was nothing but a young, hopeless romantic. Suffering from unrequited love, of course. He thought life had been so hard back then, but two kids came and turned all of that upside down. Alois, his first boyfriend, walked back into his life and gave him the courage to do things he'd never dreamed of doing before- like confessing his feelings to Sebastian, for one. And Ciel… well, Ciel had left less of a good impression on Claude, but he had at least given Claude a ray of hope. Hope that maybe a relationship with Sebastian wasn't all that impossible. And it turned out, it wasn't.

"Sebastian and I kind of owe a lot to a Ciel and an Alois," he said, giving a soft smile to Sebastian. "If it weren't for them, we probably wouldn't be together. They kind of taught us that so much is possible." Sebastian smiled.

"Yeah, they did," Sebastian agreed with a grin, gently nuzzling the newborn in his arms.

* * *

**A\N: **Well... yay! So now things are double the fun! I'm sorry for the Christmassy-ness overload in this chapter. I just randomly got hit with excitement for the holiday, and it kinda leaked out in my writing C: So now, you basically know all of my Christmas traditions (except I don't streak while wearing reindeer antlers. That's a "Sebastian only" kinda thing... haha)! And I realize that Ciel and Alois aren't born on the same day, but I wanted them both to be born in December... because reasons (Ironically enough, I wrote this yesterday, and the 14th is actually Ciel's birthday. Of this, I wasn't aware!)

Just fair warning- there will be lots of timeskips from here on out, but I'll be sure to let you know how far ahead we're skipping when it happens C: Thanks so much to everyone who shows and continues to show support to this fic! You guys are wonderful and mean a lot to me! You'll probably be hearing a lot from me over the next few weeks, as I'm finally on my holiday break (YEE HAW)!

Thanks for reading, and I'd love to hear from all of you!


	8. Lullabye

Claude had been sleeping like a rock for the past week. This wasn't exactly a good habit, as the twins were in constant need of care. It was funny how infants seemed to be perfectly fine during daylight hours, but needed so much more attention when most normal human beings were asleep.

Ciel and Alois were only a few weeks old, but they were already beginning to develop their own little personalities. This fascinated Claude, and he wondered how long these behaviors would persist. The more time he spent with his sons, he noticed their little quirks. For instance, if left alone for too long, Alois would undoubtedly begin to cry for attention. Ciel was the quieter of the two children, content to curiously observe his surroundings.

Claude and Sebastian had taken off of work for the holidays, adjusting to life with a family. Sebastian didn't drag his feet about things as much as Claude had expected him to. However, it became quickly apparent that both of them were clueless fathers, and needed lots of coaching. Luckily for them, Frances was a patient, able, and willing teacher. She had sacrificed many of her afternoons to help watch the twins. As of late, however, Claude and Sebastian had returned to their jobs, Frances agreeing to watch over the twins in the day. Things were finally back on an organized schedule, and Claude was glad of the structure. However, Claude was getting busier at work, having to pull frequent late nights to prepare for new installations and to make up for his absences. He dragged himself tiredly through the front door at around midnight or one in the morning, was greeted with a tired kiss from Sebastian- who usually had one of the twins cradled in his arms, and collapsed onto his bed. He was trying his hardest to pull his weight in taking care of the children at night, especially since Sebastian was getting home from work earlier than he was.

On this particular evening, he was home earlier than usual- about eleven thirty. He quietly opened the front door, the comforting smells of home greeting his nostrils. Sebastian was on the couch in the living room curled up in a blanket. He had a book draped across his cheek, making it apparent that he had at least _attempted_ to wait up for Claude, though obviously his fatigue won. Claude gave a gentle kiss to the sleeping Sebastian as he brushed past him on his way to the kitchen. Moving as quietly as possible, he scrounged up some of the night's leftovers, satisfied to eat them cold.

"You're early," Sebastian grinned tiredly as he shuffled into the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around Claude's waist and rested his chin on Claude's shoulder. "I could get used to this."

"I didn't mean to wake you," Claude said apologetically. As both of them were getting very little sleep, they frequently apologized if one disturbed the other.

"I didn't mean to fall asleep," Sebastian laughed. "It's just, the house was so quiet. The twins have hardly made a peep all night." There was a smile in his voice.

"Maybe tonight's our lucky night," Claude grinned. He moved to put the empty food containers in the sink. "You should get some rest while they're still asleep," he said, taking Sebastian's hand. Together they walked up the stairs, into their room, and collapsed on the bed. Claude was curled up into a ball, wrapped in Sebastian's arms. "I feel like I haven't seen you in ages," he sighed.

"You haven't," Sebastian agreed. "You've neglected me!" he gave a childish pout.

"I should be getting home at a regular hour, starting next week," Claude said, nuzzling closer to Sebastian. He breathed in deeply. He had the sudden realization that life was flashing past. He wished he could slow it down, hit pause. All of his time was spent either at work, sleeping, or coaxing one of the twins back to sleep. On the weekends he got to spend some time with Sebastian, sure, but they were never alone together anymore. Not that Claude regretted starting a family- he didn't, not even for a minute. But he did miss moments like this. Moments when there was nothing to worry about. Moments when all that mattered was being with Sebastian. It had been so long since they had spent time together, he was beginning to forget the familiar smell of Sebastian's- frequently overpowering- cologne. He wanted to slow down, to expand this moment.

"Thank God," Sebastian said, a smile in his voice.

"But you must be exhausted," Claude said, pulling away. He felt guilty for making Sebastian wait up nights until he got home. He took Sebastian's hand. "Come on, then," he said, walking towards the stairs. "Off to bed."

Sebastian allowed himself to be led up the stairs and into their room, where he collapsed on their unkempt comforter. Claude shuffled to the closet, changing out of his work things, and then to the bathroom. He was moving as quietly as possible. The twins' were in the room right next to theirs. Both Sebastian and Claude thought this would be a good idea, as neither of them were very light sleepers. After brushing his teeth, he collapsed on the mattress, right next to Sebastian. Judging from the slow, heavy breaths coming from Sebastian, Claude guessed that he was already asleep. He smiled to himself and kissed Sebastian on the head. He stared up at the ceiling for only a moment, realizing suddenly how awfully tired he was.

Before he even realized he was asleep, his eyes snapped open. The shrill cries from next door disturbed his peaceful sleep. He sighed. The twins had been doing so well he almost dared to hope they'd sleep through the night without waking up. He slowly sat up, stretching a little. He felt the mattress beside him lift up, as the weight on it was removed.

"Where are you going?" he asked Sebastian, groggily. "I've got the twins. Go back to bed."

"No, no," Sebastian said, giving a small stretch as he headed towards the door. "I got to take a nap earlier. You need the rest more than I do." He gave a small smile as he headed out the door. Claude sat, halfway out of the bed, for several moments. He heard the twins' cries gradually subside and relaxed a little, allowing himself to lie down again. He expected to hear Sebastian come shuffling back in shortly, though it didn't happen. He let several moments pass before he got up. If Sebastian hadn't come back yet, that probably meant he was in over his head with the twins. There was a large mess for him to clean, or he had fallen asleep while feeding one of them. Whatever the case, Claude figured he could lend a hand.

He quietly opened the door to the twins' room. Moonlight was spilling in through the thin curtain that blanketed the window. There was silence in the room, except for a soft bass sound. Claude let his eyes scan the room, looking for the source. Sebastian was sitting on the rocker, a twin on each shoulder, and a peaceful expression on his face. His eyes were closed and his lips were pulled back into a faint smile. The smooth bass was coming from Sebastian, Claude realized.

As Sebastian rocked back and forth, he was crooning to the twins. In all of the years Claude had known Sebastian, he'd only heard him sing seriously once or twice. Most of the times, he would joke around and purposefully sing off key. Sebastian had a beautiful voice, but was rather self-conscious about it. As Claude watched Sebastian in silence, he could feel a smile pull at the corners of his mouth. Moments like these were what he lived for. They made him realize how truly happy he was. He was able to be with Sebastian, which is more than he could have ever asked for, and he had two beautiful sons. He desired nothing more.

The door to the nursery creaked a little, as it was blown back when the air-conditioner kicked on. Sebastian opened his eyes and ended his song, noticing Claude standing in the doorway. He gave a sheepish smile and stood. Claude walked into the room, taking Alois off of Sebastian's shoulder. He looked down at the little blond boy, who was fast asleep, and felt his smile widen. Gently, he laid Alois in his crib. Sebastian followed suit, laying the limp, chubby form of Ciel in his own crib.

"Sorry," Sebastian said, sheepishly, as he turned to face Claude. "I guess I got a little carried away. They just calm down faster if I sing."

"Don't apologize," Claude said, taking Sebastian's face in his hands and planting a kiss on his lips. "You're doing a wonderful job. I'm just surprised."

"At what?" Sebastian asked, as they walked back to their room.

"You," Claude said with a laugh. "Whatever made you think you would be a horrible father?"

"I dunno," Sebastian shrugged as he slid under the covers. "I just didn't really think I was cut out for this kind of thing. I'm still not sure, actually," He confessed. "But I _do_ like it."

"I knew you would," Claude grinned sleepily as he scooted closer to Sebastian.

* * *

**A/N: **I know, I know. HIATUS, MUCH? And I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to just disappear, I really did intend to post more during break and such. But... well, during Christmas, I fell into a black hole (also commonly called the K-pop fandom. Which, I've been avoiding for so long, because I knew it would destroy my life. SURPRISE, I was right! Haha). Then it was back to school, and things were just so busy (especially since I'm taking a writing class) and I didn't feel like writing for fun so much. I would promise to update more frequently, but I don't want to disappoint you again. I just hope that you'll stick with me, even through my inconsistencies! (Shameless plug- my Tumblr is very active [even though it has very little to do with my fanfiction, other than distract me from writing...] if you care to share in my shenanigans, I'd love to have you! [the link is in my profile])

Lastly, and **most importantly, **I just want to make sure that you all know that I LOVE YOU so-o much. As a writer, I wouldn't be where I am today without you! _Thank you_ for all of your lovely reviews and watches and favorites. I'm truly flattered C: You're all beautiful people!


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